Washington, D.C. – The region is bracing for sweltering temperatures reaching as high as 100 degrees due to increased heat and humidity following the arrival of a warm front. Clouds and breezes are expected to linger until sunset, with the main threat of severe storms looming for Sunday afternoon and evening. However, there is a possibility of a few severe storms creeping into the area from the northwest late in the evening and into the early morning hours.
Tonight, the forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies with very high humidity, potentially setting record warm low temperatures in the mid-70s to near 80 degrees. Showers and storms are likely, mainly during the evening and overnight hours, with some weaker showers lingering into the morning hours but becoming more scattered.
If severe storms do develop, the most significant threat would be damaging wind gusts, particularly for areas north of town before midnight. Some areas may also experience patchy fog towards sunrise, as conditions begin to cool.
On Sunday, the combination of heat and humidity will likely result in heat index values around 105 degrees. After a slight chance of morning showers and storms, attention will shift to the likelihood of numerous severe storms developing after 2 p.m. Some of these storms could produce damaging wind gusts exceeding 57 mph as a strong cold front approaches, with temperatures peaking near 95 degrees.
The threat of severe weather is expected to diminish as the evening progresses, with a continued watch until around midnight, especially for areas south and east of the city. Breezes from the northwest are forecasted to decrease humidity levels pre-dawn, helping temperatures cool to around 60 to the mid-60s.
The impending cold front arriving Sunday night is expected to bring a refreshing start to the workweek. However, severe storms could still impact the region tonight and on Sunday. The current severe storm probability is “marginal” for tonight and “slight” for Sunday, with the main threats being damaging wind gusts, flooding downpours, weak tornadoes, and possibly large hail. These storms are expected to impact areas north of the city tonight and the majority of the region, especially east of I-95, on Sunday.